The moon is pale, and spent; and winged night
Makes headlong haste to fly the morning's sight:
Who now is rising from her blushing wars,
And with her rosy hand puts back the stars.
Of which myself the last, her harbinger,
But stay to warn you, that you not defer
Your parting longer: then do I give way,
As Night hath done, and so must you, to Day.

After this, they danced their last dance into the work. And with a full SONG the star vanished, and the whole machine closed.

O yet how early, and before her time,
The envious morning up doth climb,
Though she not love her bed!

What haste the jealous Sun doth make,
His fiery horses up to take,

And once more shew his head!

Lest, taken with the brightness of this night,

The world should wish it last, and never miss his light.

LOVE FREED, &c.] The date of this Masque is not mentioned, nor the particular occasion on which it was presented. There is no earlier edition of it than the folio, 1616. Mr. Stephen Jones (a name utterly unworthy of notice, but as the booksellers have connected it with the drama,) assigns the first appearance of all these Masques to 1640. He could grovel in falsehood for the gratification of his senseless enmity to Jonson; but to open one of his volumes for the purpose of ascertaining the truth, appears to have been thought a mere loss of time.

LOVE FREED FROM FOLLY.

So soon as the King's majesty was set, and in expectation, there was heard a strange music of wild instruments. To which a Sphynx came forth dancing, leading LOVE bound.

Sphynx.

OME, Sir Tyrant, lordly Love,
You that awe the gods above,
As their creatures here below,
With the sceptre call'd your bow;
And do all their forces bear

In the quiver that you wear,
Whence no sooner you do draw
Forth a shaft, but is a law;
Now they shall not need to tremble,
When you threaten, or dissemble,
Any more; and, though you see
Whom to hurt, you have not free
Will, to act your rage. The bands
Of your eyes, now tie your hands.
All the triumphs, all the spoils
Gotten by your arts, and toils,

By this Sphynx was understood Ignorance, who is always the enemy of Love and Beauty, and lies still in wait to entrap them. For which Antiquity has given her the upper parts and face of a woman: the nether parts of a lion, the wings of an eagle, to shew her fierceness, and swiftness to evil, where she hath power.